David Ortiz and Boston Red Sox Reportedly Agree to 2-Year Deal

The Boston Red Sox and David Ortiz have come to terms on a two-year deal worth $26 million, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. Incentives could raise the value of the deal to a maximum of $30 million.

UPDATE: Monday, Nov. 5 at 2:15 p.m. ET by Tim Daniels

The Red Sox will officially announce the return of Ortiz at a press conference today. Boston was able to lock up its designated hitter before he was able to hit the open market, surely making his legion of fans a happy bunch for at least two more years.

#RedSox will hold a press conference today at Fenway Park at 4:00 p.m. to announce the signing of designated hitter David Ortiz.

The Sox reportedly made a qualifying $13.3 million offer to Ortiz just before Friday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline, according to Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com.

Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston reported in late October that Ortiz and the Sox were close to agreeing on a two-year deal worth about $25 million, but could not come to an agreement on the terms of the deal.

Rumors were circling this week about the Texas Rangers' interest in acquiring Ortiz’s services should he not agree to terms with the Sox before Friday’s deadline, according to Nick Cafardo of Boston.com. The Rangers' alleged involvement may have been the tipping point for the Red Sox staff to budge in negotiations and make the move to retain Ortiz.

Boston was wise to keep the face of its franchise in town for at least the next two seasons, as it continues the transition it started by shipping several of its best players out of New England before the 2012 MLB trade deadline.

In August, Boston sent expensive All-Stars Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a nine-player trade.

Ortiz’s veteran presence will be critical for the team as it attempts to pick up the pieces after a very disappointing 2012 season.

Ortiz, who turns 37 this month, played in just 90 games for the Sox in 2012. He suffered an Achilles injury in mid-July and only played in one more contest the rest of the season

In limited action, Ortiz still showed he can produce, starting out the season hot by notching 23 homers and 60 RBI and recording a .318 average.

This is a fitting beginning to the end of Ortiz's illustrious career. It’s good that he refrained from soiling his name by becoming a hired gun for the New York Yankees, Rangers or Baltimore Orioles.

It’s best that he’s staying put in Boston to write the final chapter of his 16-year career as part of a team he helped revive from the losing abyss with two Worlds Series crowns.